Is James Harden destined to be included in the paragraph
about NBA greats who never won a title, included with the likes of Charles Barkley
and Karl Malone?
Statictically, Harden is a marvel. His 2017-2018 season was
one for the record books. Only 18 players have gotten a 400 or better in my
system and Harden turned in a 416.32. It was also his third season with a score
above 350. Of the 71 players named to this list so far, he’s just the third to
do that. The others are George Mikan and Steph Curry, the player that was
picked four spots after Harden went third overall in the 2009 NBA draft to
Oklahoma City.
In traditional stats, he’s averaged more than 25 points per
game every year since joining Houston. He led the league in scoring in
2017-2018 and assists in 2016-2017. He’s won one MVP and finished second twice.
His advanced stats are even more stellar. He has topped 20.0
in PER seven straight years and 25.0 in PER the past four. He led the league in
2017-2018 with a 29.8. He’s led the league in win shares three of the past four
seasons and in 2017-2018 he topped it in Box +/-.
His teams have won 66 percent of the regular seasons in
which he has played.
Considering he’s going to be 29 this season and has suffered
no serious injuries, he is poised to add several more great seasons, enough to
push him into the all-time top 20.
The knock so far on “The Beard” is that he hasn’t been
nearly as effective in the playoffs.
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Harden
regular season vs. postseason
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||||
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PER
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Box +/-
|
||
|
Year
|
Season
|
Playoffs
|
Season
|
Playoffs
|
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2009-10
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14.0
|
15.8
|
1.0
|
4.3
|
|
2010-11
|
16.4
|
19.1
|
2.3
|
6.3
|
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2011-12
|
21.1
|
20.9
|
4.5
|
4.7
|
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2012-13
|
23.0
|
20.8
|
5.7
|
3.8
|
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2013-14
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23.5
|
18.3
|
5.7
|
2.7
|
|
2014-15
|
26.7
|
24.8
|
8.4
|
7.5
|
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2015-16
|
25.3
|
21.8
|
6.7
|
7.0
|
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2016-17
|
27.4
|
23.0
|
10.1
|
7.9
|
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2017-18
|
29.8
|
25.0
|
10.9
|
7.7
|
In a way, Harden has hurt himself by setting too high of a standard. Players such as Reggie Miller, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are lauded as clutch playoff performers and they never came close to Harden’s playoff production the past four seasons.
Harden has made it to an NBA Finals. Back in 2011-2012,
Harden was the sixth man for the Oklahoma City Thunder who seemed destined to
make annual trips to the Finals. The Thunder though fell to LeBron James’ Miami
Heat in five games, and Harden was ineffective, shooting just 18 of 48.
He got his Rockets back to the Western Conference Finals in
2014-2015, but they were bounced in five by Curry and the Golden State
Warriors. Harden had games of 45 and 38 points in the series, but he also was
held to 17 in one (on 3-of-16 shooting) and 14 in the fifth game (on 2-of-11
shooting).
This past season was probably the most frustrating of all.
With Chris Paul, who has even more playoff demons to destroy, joining the
Rockets, Houston took a 3-2 lead over the Warriors. Paul though tore a hamstring
in game five. Harden scored 32 points in games six and seven, but he shot just
22 of 53 in the two games and the Warriors came back to take the series.
Paul is back with the Rockets, but Houston has tweaked several
positions, while Golden State added all-star DeMarcus Cousins. Harden’s
championship window may already have closed.
|
James
Harden bio info
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Career
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2009-2018
|
|
Games
|
687
|
|
Points
|
23.0
|
|
Rebounds
|
5.1
|
|
Assists
|
6.1
|
|
FG Pct.
|
44.3%
|
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All-Star games
|
6
|
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NBA MVPs
|
1
|
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NBA titles
|
0
|
|
Playoff seasons
|
9
|
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Playoff games
|
105
|
|
Points
|
22.0
|
|
Rebounds
|
5.2
|
|
Assists
|
5.5
|
|
FG Pct.
|
42.0%
|
|
Hall of Fame
|
|
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Top 100
rankings
|
||
|
|
Points
|
Top 100 ranking
|
|
1-year
|
416.32
|
15th
|
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5-year
|
1,669.27
|
21st
|
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10-year
|
2,553.09
|
41st
|
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Career
|
2,553.09
|
80th
|
|
James Harden
at his peak
|
|||
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2017-2018
|
Harden
|
Top 5
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Points
|
|
PER
|
29.8
|
28.56
|
|
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Win Shares
|
15.4
|
13.94
|
|
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Box +/-
|
10.9
|
8.88
|
|
|
VORP
|
8.3
|
7.24
|
|
|
Total Advanced Stats
|
64.4
|
58.62
|
109.86
|
|
Playoff PER
|
25.0
|
26.98
|
|
|
Win Shares
|
2.1
|
3.44
|
|
|
Box +/-
|
7.7
|
8.72
|
|
|
VORP
|
1.5
|
2.03
|
|
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Total Advanced Stats
|
36.3
|
41.18
|
88.15
|
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Reg. Season Win %
|
81.94
|
81.94
|
|
|
Playoff Win %
|
64.71
|
64.71
|
|
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MVP Voting (75 points)
|
965/1,010
|
71.66
|
|
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Playoff MVP (25 points)
|
0
|
0
|
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Total Score
|
|
|
416.32
|
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Harding’s 10 greatest seasons
|
|
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2017-2018
|
416.32
|
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2014-2015
|
369.35
|
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2016-2017
|
351.03
|
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2011-2012
|
285.37
|
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2010-2011
|
247.19
|
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2013-2014
|
240.12
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2012-2013
|
237.62
|
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2015-2016
|
224.43
|
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2009-2010
|
181.65
|
|
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Career
winning percentage
|
|||
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W
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L
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Pct.
|
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Regular Season
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447
|
230
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66.03%
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Playoffs
|
55
|
50
|
52.38%
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